The U.S. government currently creates thousands of classified documents each year. In addition, there is a backlog of currently classified documents that are due to be declassified by virtue of regulations allowing release after a predetermined time period set at the time of initial classification. Finally, there is considerable demand (e.g., under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)) for release of sensitive documents (or portions thereof).
The present process for classifying documents is both time consuming and labor intensive. Typically, a person associated with the program under which the document was produced must review the document to be classified and search through it to identify material called out in the classification guidelines document produced by the program office. This process can be complicated, due to the sometimes complex conditions which can lead to a classification decision. For example, certain documents become classified when a series of different technical parameters are present in the document, even though each parameter by itself may not be classified. The review process for proper document markings of the security classification may take from a few hours to several weeks, depending upon the document length and complexity of the classification guidelines.
The system described herein will allow the classification/declassification process to be done automatically, using computer programs to convert the requirements provided in the security classification guidelines into search logic conditions which are utilized in scans of the document by additional software programs to identify classified material. This automated system inserts proper classification markings into the electronic version of the document, so that a final draft of the document can be rapidly produced for final approval and release by an appropriate program office official.